Moon bears rescued in Central Highlands after decade of torture

By VnExpress   December 5, 2016 | 10:22 pm PT
Moon bears rescued in Central Highlands after decade of torture
One of the sixr bears rescued by Animals Asia on December 5. Photo provided by the organization
The animals' teeth had been shattered by their attempts to chew through their metal cages. 

Animal welfare charity Animals Asia on Monday successfully rescued six moon bears from a bile farm in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak, putting an end to a decade of captivity for the animals.

Trapped in tiny cages, the six forlorn moon bears - four males and two females - have suffered the agony of bile extraction for more than 10 years. Following pressure from the local Forest Protection Department, the owner finally agreed to set the bears free.

Bear bile is believed by some to have medicinal properties and is used in traditional remedies.

The six bears are in poor health and their teeth have been shattered by their efforts to chew through metal bars to escape. One of the bears has even lost its tongue and has a bloody paw.

“The bears desperately need help, so our priority is to get them out of there, take their pain away, build up their strength and then give them a new life," said Animals Asia Founder Jill Robinson.

On Tuesday, the six bears will go on a 1,300-kilometer journey to reach Animals Asia’s Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre in Tam Dao National Park, just 80 kilometers from Hanoi.

In November the organization also rescued four moon bears from three bear bile farms in the Central Highlands city of Pleiku, ending years of mistreatment for the weakened animals.

The Vietnamese government banned bile farming in 2005 but around 1,200 moon and sun bears are still held on bear bile farms across the country.

Animals Asia has rescued 175 bears to date and cares for 161 bears at its rescue center.

Related news:

4 bears rescued from Vietnam bile farms after decade of mistreatment

Endangered moon bear rescued in Vietnam after decade in captivity

 
 
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